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A recent report by the Department of Defense’s inspector general has revealed that the Pentagon has effectively dismantled its Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) program, a critical initiative designed to limit civilian harm in the course of war. The program, which was mandated by federal law, had been established by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in January 2022, following years of high-profile US military operations worldwide that resulted in heavy civilian casualties.
The report highlights a concerning lack of infrastructure, personnel, and resources at the Pentagon to ensure compliance with two federal statutes requiring the maintenance of a functioning civilian casualty policy and the operation of the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence (CP CoE). According to the report, the program’s data management platform has lost funding, committee meetings have stopped, and dedicated personnel have either left or been reassigned, severely hampering its capacity to effectively address civilian harm.
The Trump administration has been accused of making deep cuts to the CHMR program, despite its critical importance in preventing civilian casualties. The program’s demise comes amidst growing criticism of the Biden administration’s own policies, including a recent US strike on an all-girls school in Minab, Iran, which killed at least 175 people, the majority of whom were children. Pentagon officials have been accused of downplaying these incidents and instead shifting the blame onto the Iranian regime for allegedly placing military targets in civilian areas.
The CHMR program was established to address the pressing issue of civilian harm resulting from US military operations worldwide. Airwars, a civilian harm monitor, estimated that between 2001 and 2021, US drone and airstrikes killed between 22,000 and 48,000 civilians in the Middle East and beyond. By abandoning the CHMR program, the Pentagon appears to be disregarding its federal obligations to minimize civilian harm, placing hundreds of thousands of people at risk.
Critics of the Pentagon’s move have come from within its own ranks, with former staff members describing the program’s current state as a shadow of its former self. According to reports, the program’s personnel have been relegated to cramped quarters in Virginia, with many forced out of their roles or reassigned to other duties. The inspector general’s report and other accounts paint a vivid picture of a program in disarray, with dedicated staff struggling to maintain even a semblance of functionality.
The report’s findings and the implications of the Pentagon’s decision have sparked outrage among human rights advocates and veterans groups, who argue that the abandonment of the CHMR program represents a significant step backward in the US military’s efforts to prevent civilian harm. As the Biden administration grapples with its own set of security challenges, the Pentagon’s decision to dismantle this critical program raises uncomfortable questions about its commitment to reducing civilian casualties in the course of military operations.
The Department of Defense has thus far remained silent on the matter, failing to respond to repeated requests for comment on the inspector general’s report and the implications of its findings. As one air force combat veteran, Wes J Bryant, noted, “They’ve left a semblance of the department because Hegseth was taking heat for illegal operations.” With the Pentagon’s civilian harm program in limbo, the future of US military operations abroad remains uncertain, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and unfulfilled obligations to protect innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.